New Art for the New Millennium

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT RART®

Rart is a new art form. It uses Java for platform independence and uses the Internet for demonstration and distribution. We call a work of Rart a Rart universe. An Observer of Rart uses a computer screen as a window onto the ever-changing, never-repeating Rart universe. The creator of a Rart universe we call a Rartist.

This is the Rart Home page which directs you to various aspects of Rart, including:

Rart Gallery - The latest in browser viewable Rart universes.

Principles of Rart - For the serious browser and all potential Rartists. Includes references.

Introduction to Java - A tutorial developed for IEEE may serve as a good introduction to Java as well as an introduction to Rart. It was first offered October 2000 and has been expanded to include a series of exercises that provide step by step learning without requiring other materials than those available free on the Internet. Is being updated.

JICC7, Rart Presentation - At the Java and the Internet in the Computing Curriculum conference, January 2003 in London, a paper on Rart was presented and a general demonstration was made. The material is available here.

Things No Longer at Good Harbor Beach - This noncomputer Random Art project was fun. Perhaps we can inspire repeat on other beaches.

INFORMATION FOR DEVELOPERS

The Rart Development Kit, RDK 2.0

A set of Java classes are used to develop and execute a Rart universe. The set is collectively denoted the Rart Development Kit or RDK. RDK includes aids for the development of a Rart universe and the classes that allow execution of a Rart universe as an applet as well as an application, in the latter case with added functionality. The Relese Notes include the usual information about software releases.

We will be pleased to send you the latest RDK in the form of a zip file attachment to an e-mail. Please send us a request at A-Square. with your name, and your e-mail address. In your request we also would like to have some indication that you are a serious Java programmer with a genuine desire to contribute to the development of Rart.

RDK 1.0 beta works on this website to demonstrate early universes, but is othererwise retired.

J2ME-Presentation - how to port Rart to J2ME!

J2ME Development Status

We now have a beta version of RartME, where ME stands for MicroEdition. For those interested to check it out we would like an email with particulars. The status is that we have versions of the Lines and the Flakes universes running. The Rart Runner and the universes were developed using J2MEWTK version 1.0.2 and tested under version 1.0.3 beta. Eggs will be more of a challenge since XOR mode of painting is not supported in the Microedition MID profile. We are looking forward to opportunities with wireless devices!

Java is a trademark of Sun Microsystems Inc.

The concept of Rart® was developed and trademarked by Jan Aminoff at

A-Square, Inc.

Cambridge, MA, USA

The banner above includes an applet with the A-Square logo floating behind the text

Welcome to Rart®

Using Java to Create Random Art

If you cannot see the animation, your browser may not be Java capable or Java enabled. Since it is important that the Rart universes be observable in the most common browsers the universes themselves use Java as defined by JDK 1.1.8. This means that they can be seen in Microsoft Explorer and AOL browsers that support Java as defined in JDK 1.1.4, thereby making the Rart universes viewable by almost anybody. However, if you got here because you did not see the floating logo, please read on!

In the beginning of Java , through 1999, there was a question if the available Java capable browsers were compatible and/or enabled by default. The situation is now quite changed and all main stream browsers are either built Java capable or offer Java by means of a plugin from Sun. They are also mostly enabled by default and even without the option to turn Java off. It is particularly gratifying that AOL browsers since AOL 5.0 have been Java enabled, with no turnoff option.

Internet Explorer 4.0 and later is OK. My new Windows XP with IE 6.0 came with Java enabled and a Java environment claimed to be 1.1.4. However, it also offers an option (Tools >Internet Options . . . > Advanced) to turn on a Java plugin from Sun, if you have it (One of the crucial items in the Microsoft antitrust courtcase, was if MS should be required to distribute the Java plugin from Sun and if they did, should it be enabled by default.) Unfortunately the Sun plugin breaks some older applets including the one I had as a banner on this website for a very long time, but it is OK with the present banner.

Netscape Navigator 4.5 is OK and does not seem to have a turnoff option. While Navigator 6 + was dangerously unstable, Netscape 7.0 seems OK. It offers the option under Edit > Preferences > Advanced to disable/enable Java 2. Enabling the optionally downloaded plugin from Sun, breaks old applets just as for Explorer.

The story is the same for Macintosh, Mac OS 9.0 as well as OS X. All main browsers work and are normally enabled. However, older Macintoshes don't handle xor painting correctly, which brakes the Eggs universe. The Lines and the Polygons also look funny on my G4 Laptop under OS X 1.2. I was extremely pleased to note, however, that the new browser that comes with OS X 1.4, Tiger, the Safari, has a beautiful and fast Java engine. While it can be disabled (under Preferences), it is normally enabled and, again, really, really nice!

For Linux/Unix, I have also checked Opera, which comes with an optional Java plugin from Sun. My RedHat Linux came with Galeon using a Sun plugin (1.3.1_02) and Netscape 4.78 using Netscape Java 1.1.5. which all are good for observing Rart universes.